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Friday, February 28, 2014

~ Symposium - All You Need Is Love! ~

Hello Everyone! Welcome to my
February Symposium!

For this month’s Symposium I have asked
my friends and fellow authors to share with us what inspires them to write
romantic scenes. The scenes can be sweet and tender or hot and spicy…either
way, they are bound to get your heart racing as you read them. Find out what
they had to say, I’m sure you will enjoy the responses!

LAURIE ROMA: When I'm writing romantic scenes, first and foremost I am inspired by my characters…who they are and what type of relationship they have. Once that is solidified in my head, I tend to use music to help focus the scene I’m trying to create in my story. I love the way that music and certain songs can be used as mood enhancers or can even bring back specific memories. I'm eclectic with my music choices, and my characters and sex scenes vary just as much. Just to give you a little taste of what is currently on my ipod, here are a few selections that might entertain you...

For sensual try Spiritual High by Moodswings and Chrissie Hynde, Fumbling Toward Ecstasy by Sarah McLachlan or The Mystic's Dream by Loreena McKennitt. For sweet try All I Want by Ahn Trio, That's How Strong My Love Is by Otis Redding or Quando by Michael Bublé. For fun try Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke, Say All I Need by One Republic or Black and Gold by Sam Sparro. If you want more of a beat try Bounce by Timbaland, Everyday by Swizz Beatz or Video Phone by Beyoncé. Or if you wanna rock out try Closer by Nine Inch Nails, My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark by Fall Out Boy or Paralyzer by Finger Eleven.

I have a scene in an upcoming book that was inspired by Waiting Game by Banks, which is sure to get you in a sexy, sensual mood...

Alexis Donovan is a woman whose dream of falling in love with the perfect men has been dashed because of her infertile status. Still recovering from a war that almost destroyed the world, humans have fought to rebuild and have once again opened their shields to outside visitors. As a liaison officer for alien races that are visiting Earth, Alexis does her best to ignore what she can never have, but when she is put in charge of four visiting alien warriors, her entire world changes...

Dragons Warriors from Arcadia, Xavier and Galan Tesera and their best friends Thorn and Brydan Volis, have been curious about Earth ever since they helped the humans defeat their enemy years ago. As commanders of their own space vessel they travel the galaxies searching out the unknown, but in their hearts they know they will never truly be satisfied without a mate by their side.

When the four Dragon Warriors land on Earth they are instantly enamored with the sharp-tongued liaison who ignites a burning passion in their hearts, and know that she is the mate they have been searching for who will complete their souls. Will Alexis take a chance on four alien warriors or will the fear of leaving everything she has ever known destroy her chance of finding true love?

LORIE O'CLARE: They say that authors write about what they know. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked if I have actually had sex the way my characters do in my books. The simple answer is…”I WISH!” :) My goal while writing is to know my characters intimately. Therefore, I know what kind of sex they like. In WITH HER CAPTURE, my Cariboo lunewulf male and Malta werewolf female know only one kind of sex—hot and spicy! There really is no inspiration needed. I do as my characters wish. A Cariboo male’s DNA make up requires that he hunt, capture and dominate the female he will have as his mate. However, the Malta werewolf female’s DNA make up demands that she bring her male to heel. As a result, when these two sniff each other out, find interest, and decide to pursue each other sexually, worlds quite literally collide!

Magda Keller and Ayden Toubec are in love. They are fulfilling every sexual fantasy and learning about each other at the same time. Life is perfect. Or it would be if they didn’t have to keep their love a secret. Magda is half Malta werewolf—the most despised breed of werewolf that the law says must be killed on sight! Magda is condemned to hide from the world for the rest of her life. It breaks her heart, but Magda runs from Ayden. She has to in order to save his life. He is alpha male, loved and respected by his entire pack. Being with her will have him kicked out of his pack, and even worse, killed on sight. There’s only one problem. Ayden chases Magda down. He won’t live without her. Now they must avoid every werewolf or risk death—including his very own littermate. There is only one spot on earth where they can love, and live in peace…if they can get there alive!

N.J. WALTERS: Love is what makes the world go round. Whether it’s love between a mother and child, the bond between lifelong friends or that very special connection between lovers, we all want and look for it. Is it any wonder that I write and read romance? Not really. I’m a believer in love and in “happily ever after.” Sure love doesn’t always work out the way we’d like it to and heartbreak happens to all of us at some point in our lives, but that doesn’t stop us from trying. I think that’s what I enjoy most about writing romance—the possibilities. Lovers can overcome any obstacles in their path and there is always a second chance to get it right. And amid the heartbreak and tears there is laughter and, most of all, love.

After ten years away from home, Cherry Edmonds returns to West Texas when her father is ill and dying. Now she is left to deal with the estate and pick up the pieces of her life. The past is waiting for her in the form of Wesson and Remington Smith, the two brothers she was half in love with when she was eighteen.Wes and Remy know they’re different from most men. They are both in love with Cherry and have been since they were kids. One night of hot sex leaves all of them wanting more, but she believes their time together is just a one-night stand. It’s up to the Smith brothers to prove their love for Cherry and their commitment to the ménage, and to convince Cherry she’s definitely capable of loving two Texas cowboys.

KALLYPSO MASTERS: I wrote as a hobby for decades, but never could finish a Romance. Then I discovered erotic romance and something clicked. I not only could finish the books, but my sex scenes were more vivid and real than when I wrote in euphemisms. Now when waves are crashing on the shore in one of my scenes, you'd better believe it's sex on the beach (or in a beach cave, as the case may be). I also write about Marines, and they're going to call a cock a cock. But I also discovered while writing my last two books that the emotional journey trumps the sexual one sometimes. Bottom line is we have to write the story these characters need to tell, whatever heat level the story needs. Even within a series heat levels can vary, especially if you're an indie author like I am and don't have to deal with publisher's guidelines.

The Rescue Me saga continues in this fifth book with updates on eight beloved characters in the series, but the primary focus is on Marc D'Alessio and Angelina Giardano who haven't been able to overcome the obstacles keeping them from their happily ever after. When Marc d’Alessio first rescued the curvaceous and spirited Italian Angelina Giardano at the Masters at Arms Club, he never expected her to turn his safe, controlled life upside down and pull at his long-broken heartstrings. Months later, the intense fire of their attraction still rages, but something holds him back from committing to her completely. Worse, secrets and memories from his past join forces to further complicate his relationships with family, friends, and his beautiful angel.

Angelina cannot give all of herself to someone who hides himself from her. She loves Marc, the BDSM world he brought her into, and the way their bodies respond to one another, but she needs more. Though she destroyed the wolf mask he once wore, only he can remove the mask he dons daily to hide his emotions. In a desperate attempt to break through his defenses and reclaim her connection to the man she loves, she attempts a full frontal assault that sends him into a fast retreat, leaving her nobody’s angel once again.

Marc finds that running to the mountains no longer gives him solace but instead leaves him empty and alone. Angelina is the one woman worth the risk of opening his heart. Will he risk everything to become the man she deserves and the man he wants to be?

LACEY THORN: Anyone who reads me knows I lean toward the hot and spicy when it comes to writing romance. I always hated the books that took you to the bedroom door and...nothing. I felt cheated, lol. I want to go through the door and experience every part of the relationship. I think sweet and tender play a huge role in the hot and spicy, but then I'm the type of woman who wants it all. I want the love words, the romance, the soft touches, and heated looks filled with promise. I also want the hard and rough, gotta-have-you-now, pull my hair, bend me over, smack my ass, and nip me hard with your teeth kind of loving. I'm all worked up now! I'm just going to go work on the next Pleasures book now!

River, Tara, and Kat met in the police academy, but decided to forgo becoming cops and try life as private investigators instead. That easily, Angel Investigations was born.Targeted by a killer, Kat is forced into lockdown, guarded by the three men she most wants to escape, along with her vivid memories of the night she indulged in her wildest fantasies. One woman can’t have three men as lovers forever… Can she?Rafe has loved Kat since they were kids, spending his entire life looking after her and introducing her to his two best friends and the pleasure of being with them. He knows Kat loved every moment, despite her fleeing the following morning. Now Rafe, Liam, and Adrian are back, helping to protect Kat and wanting only one more thing— to arrange for her pleasure, in hopes of showing her just how possible it is to keep three men forever.

SUSAN HAYES: I can’t write in silence, so there’s always music playing or else I have the television on when I am working on a book. I love 80’s music, so Air Supply and power ballads tend to be my go to music for sweet moments, and I will confess to throwing a little country in there too. If I’m going to write a hot scene, I often have a movie playing, something with a lot of explosions, car chases, and adrenaline. Michael Bay or J.J Abrams movies works well. (What does that say about my approach to sex? Let’s not ponder that too much…moving on!) I find my inspiration for everything I write in the world around me. Music, movies, and the people I see every day. Truth may be stranger than fiction, but reality is full of wonderful moments, and I try to capture that in my stories.

In the aftermath of a war that almost destroyed Earth, the Alliance now rules, but not everyone chooses to live by their laws. Alayna is a rebel living by her own rules in the harsh badlands, outside the Alliance’s control. She is a thief, stealing from the wealthy to provide for those who cannot survive on their own, all while hiding the tattoo that marks her as one of the few remaining fertile women on Earth…making her a target.Alliance Elites Nikolai Grekov and Colin Nielson are stationed at a neglected base on the edge of the badlands after years spent in space. Their orders are to track down an elusive thief that’s been plaguing the area’s outposts, but they also have their own agenda. Both men want to find and claim a fertile woman to call their own and fulfill their dreams of becoming a family. When the men catch the sexy, headstrong, thief breaking into their home, they claim Alayna for their own. Nikolai and Colin may have claimed their chosen, but the battle for her heart has just begun. Can they find a way to win her trust or will their beautiful renegade’s need for freedom destroy their chance of happiness?

ZAYNE MICHAELS: Okay, I’m going to tell you a secret. Are you ready? Lean in just a little closer. PORN! Yes, I turn to some good, old-fashioned, eye-poppin’ porn when I need inspiration to spice up a sex scene. Since I write M/M, and I can’t magically grow a penis to test out some of my more acrobatic ideas, so gay porn is kind of essential. For those achingly sweet moments when more sugar than spice is needed, I draw inspiration from a number of things—songs, movies, books, quotes. Having a vivid imagination is both a blessing and curse, because there are just some things you can never unsee, even if you only saw them in your mind.

Despite being a dragon shifter, Ridley Dragos doesn’t lead a life of adventure or excitement. Instead, he prefers the quiet solitude of his bookstore and the brief interaction with his customers. He has no aspirations of falling in love or living happily ever after, but all of that is about to change.When he walked into The Book Attic that morning, Julian Haell harbored no expectations other than finding a new book for his ever-growing collection. Ridley intrigues him, though, and challenges everything he thought he knew about friendship and desire. A simple chat over tea turns into a comfortable, weekly routine, but as the months pass, Julian can’t help but want more.It’s not every day a guy realizes he’s fallen for his best friend, but unfortunately, Ridley’s window of opportunity is closing fast. When Julian visits the mysterious Cupid Inc in search of a date for Valentine’s Day, Ridley finds himself facing an impossible decision—either seize the moment and confess his feelings, or let the love of a lifetime disappear forever.

ROSANNA LEO: What inspires me to write those hot and heavy scenes, or the ones that leave a reader gasping for more? Well, I believe we all need a bit of romance in our lives, and what better expression than a needy touch or a whisper laced with desire? When I read a romantic scene, my hearts starts pumping. My mouth waters. I want to give that to my readers. I want to fill their minds with luscious images of caresses and squeezes and all the wonderful things that follow. It’s good for the soul. It feeds and nourishes. The best compliment I ever got on my writing was from a reader’s hubby, who got excited reading over her shoulder. He said to her, “The $5 for this book was the best $5 you ever spent.” That’s why I write romance.

Lynx shifter Marci Lennox has worked at the shifter-friendly Ursa Fishing Lodge and Resort all her adult life. It’s more a home to her than a job. When her boss goes on vacation, putting her in charge, Marci is thrilled. Finally a chance to prove she has the mettle to run a resort.Her confidence is shaken when new employee Anton Gaspar appears. One look at the mysterious tiger shifter spells trouble for Marci and for her sex-crazed lynx. Anton is judgmental, condescending, and a little misogynistic. Unfortunately, Marci’s lynx thinks his tiger is more delicious than an oversized bag of Maltesers.It becomes difficult for Marci to remain neutral near Anton, especially when she learns of his troubling past and unusual family circumstances. However, when dangerous incidents occur on the resort, the lynx woman and tiger man join forces to combat the threat to the lodge and its guests.Harder still is the quest to combat their explosive feelings for one another. As they explore their mutual passion, they realize the danger at the resort is more insidious than they ever envisioned. Their dreams, their love, and their very lives are at stake.

S.J. MAYLEE: My love for all things HEA led me to writing. I wanted to give the characters in my imagination a happily ever after. So, my endings are guaranteed happy places, but what happens along the way is the real test. One of the best ways to prove if a couple belongs together is to see what happens when they’re stripped bare. That true moment of passion when neither character can control their needs is page turning perfection. I enjoy ramping up the sexual tension. I relish the opportunities to push their boundaries. I love proving to them that the person who sparks their fire is their happily ever after.

Ivy’s revenge on the people behind her family’s downward spiral is simple and it’s working. There’s no need to long for help from the wealthy business owners who turned their backs on her father. Ivy may be worn out, but she’s finding herself again after joining the local BDSM club.Seth has it all. He has homes around the world and the little red speedster he dreamed of as a little boy, but none of the things he can buy satisfy him, not the socialites hanging on his arm or the submissives falling at his feet. Then, he hires Ivy to plan his next event.Seth and Ivy enjoy each other’s company in and out of the planning stages for Seth’s charity event. Their playful bets lead them to a first date. When their secret kinks are revealed, the pair fall deep, but it’s not meant to last. Past hurts come back to haunt Ivy. Now, it’s time for Seth to use all he’s learned, regardless if he can win back the girl.

WILLOW BROOKE: Once again, thank you to the fabulous Ms. Laurie for inviting me to partake in another great event. It is always an honor and so much fun! Love. From the time we are born, girls have fairy tale romances thrown at them in every form. From watching the classics, to bedtime stories, a picture perfect image of perfection is etched in stone. As we grow up, our hearts are broken time and time again, leaving a hole of disappointment and shattered dreams. We reprogram our expectations and learn the reality through crying ourselves to sleep and pining over pints of Ben and Jerry’s. Eventually, we realize that everything we grew up hoping for was nothing more than just that- a fairy tale. Whether it is a smoking hot, cosmic orgasmic experience or the purity of love given by fate and destiny, it is up to us to make our dreams come true. Becoming an author has enabled me to create those perfect romances that can be sealed by true love’s first kiss, or give the unworldly forbidden fantasy that one can only dream of. The power of literature makes anything possible.

A betrayal from the two people closest to her sends Jammi Price on the road to only place she ever experienced solace- a cabin her late aunt left to her. After a slick winter road and a long walk in the rain, Jammi finds herself face to face with Mr. Sexy Cowboy.Justin Henshall is no stranger to having life turned upside down. When his world fell apart, Mrs. Price stepped in, providing the love, comfort, and security to make him the man he currently was. After her death, Justin is hell bent on keeping the only place he ever felt safe.One trip in the snow and a broken ankle later, Justin is forced to step up and take care of the little spitfire he so tried to avoid. Instead of the stuck up spoiled brat he had anticipated, he begins to see the true beauty she is, cracking the wall around his heart. A friendly poker game with his childhood buddies pushes him to claim what is his—Jammi. When clothes start to fly, Justin takes matters into his own hands and gives her a night filled with wild passion, laying his cards on the table. But…is it all just a huge bluff?When romance begins to bloom, will Justin be able to keep all he holds dear, or will Jammi be able to show him home is where the heart is?

REBECCA JOYCE: All you need is love…and a nice tanned six-pack, a well-toned gluteus maximus and a nice, long, tasty drink of cool water! (What? Did you think I was gonna say something else?) When it comes to getting in the ‘mood’ for romance I tend to gravitate towards the more realistic side of love, rather than the fanciful side of romance. Love at first sight is fine in all, but unless you have the balls to grab it and work to keep it, then what good did it do ya? Therefore, if Cupid’s Arrow bites one of my characters in the ass, I like to make them earn it, because we all know love isn’t easy…so why should it be for my characters?

The Masterson brothers moved to Treasure Cove to begin again. Hot on the trail of a missing woman, nothing adding up. Determined to make the best of things and to close the case, they were prepared for anything. That was until someone from their past intervenes.Camellia Anderson is running scared. Armed with knowledge that can change the lives of many, if brought to light, and could have dire consequences, she seeks out the only people she knows who can help her, her childhood friends. With no money for gas, she prays she can find them in time before the past catches up with her.Can Camellia learn to trust the brothers once more, or will her fear push them farther apart? With a raging blizzard brewing, can the Masterson brothers put all the pieces together before time runs out? Or will their past come rushing forward to destroy everything they have created?

CHERYL DRAGON: All You Need Is Love… I’m still looking for love so it’s easy for me to put that longing and uncertainty into my writing. Making the sex hot and the chemistry powerful so it’s hard to ignore the pull…that’s the fun of writing it. That’s how it should be in real life. Love it blitzed on the media so much that if you don’t have it, the world looks you like you’re missing something. Humans love to be in love and see others drama…but what about angels? They get to watch humans fall in love and feel these extreme emotional highs and lows. Some are bound to be envious and want to try it for themselves. That was the spark for The Angel Wears Prada. One angel fell to earth in hopes of finding love and enjoying a taste of human free will…but it’s not as easy as he thought it would be.

It’s hard to find a soul mate when you have no soul. Kaden may have to settle for a Valentine’s Day date instead. Born human and forced to go evil, he has turned his back on the demonic ways. Despite demons trying to lure him back, he wants to make up for what he’s done and find love. But who will believe in him? Cupid Inc will do its best to find him a match! A fallen angel who adores the finer things in the human world is also looking for a Valentine’s date. Lonal longed for romance and human sexuality so much that he fell to earth to experience love. He just can’t find it. Sex and lust are easy to enjoy, but he wants a soul mate. It’s a good thing Lonal has a few tricks up his wings!

ELODIE PARKES: I write erotic romance. I’m inspired by many things, but mostly the environment. I see a lovely scene, a sign post, and a character jumps into my head. I think love is in short supply in the real world. I give my characters love, hot, erotic, and lasting. My stories are love stories, pure and simple. The love scenes are sexually graphic to reflect reality and to show the love my characters have for each other. The strangeness of real life can be explained away in a story. The loneliness so many people feel can be soothed in a story. I fall in love with my characters. They become so real to me I see and hear them. I see the setting they live in so vividly it becomes real too. I love to write. Each of my stories has my heart in it. I hope that shines through.

Alice longs for love. Oliver wants to give her flowers and candy until he thinks she has another lover. Will his jealousy drive him away from Alice or straight into her arms?